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Jessica Ridgeway search in Superior: 'We believe it is her backpack'

Police using bloodhound to search neighborhood

By John Aguilar and Amy Bounds, Camera Staff Writers

Posted:
10/07/2012 02:12:30 PM MDT

Updated:
10/08/2012 10:24:38 AM MDT

On Monday morning a search team combs the ground along US 36 west of McCaslin for clues the the whereabouts of 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway in Superior. Jessica has been missing since Friday morning. DAILY CAMERA/ Mark Leffingwell (Mark Leffingwell)

Several hundred police officers are expected on Monday morning to continue searching Superior's Rock Creek neighborhood for missing 10-year-old Jessica Ridgeway of Westminster after getting the best lead so far in the case.

The search shifted more than six miles to Superior this afternoon after a resident found a backpack containing a water bottle that he reported has the girl's name written on it.

Materasso, at a late afternoon news conference, said detectives believe that the backpack is Jessica's, but declined to discuss its contents or verify that it contained a water bottle with the girl's name on it as reported by the man who found it.

A Superior resident e-mailed the town's listserv shortly after 1 p.m. today with a message bearing the subject line "Children's Back Pack Found." The message reads: "Found this morning on the side walk at Andrew Drive and Alpha Court. Water bottle has 'Jessica Ridgeway' name on it. Come and get it."

Materasso said the resident who found the backpack didn't recognize the name of the missing girl, but when someone replied to his original e-mail pointing out its significance, he immediately called 911 to report the discovery.

Materasso said detectives interviewed residents in the area to try to determine how long the backpack had been on the sidewalk in Superior, which he said is 6.4 miles from where the girl was last seen on Friday. Police are asking parents to talk to their children to see if they have any information about the backpack.

In case the police need help searching, Rock Creek resident Shannon Knobel set up a Facebook page: "Superior / Rock Creek Residents to help find Jessica Ridgeway" to mobilize volunteers.

Jessica — blonde, blue-eyed, 4 feet, 10 inches tall and 80 pounds — was last seen wearing jeans, a black jacket and glasses described as pink and purple.

Today, a bloodhound from Jefferson County was on scene trying to search the area off any scents on the backpack, Materasso said. Police had closed roads around that area to all non-residents, while officers were searching trunks of residents' cars going into the neighborhood. All the roads now are reopened.

"This has forced us to create some inconveniences to the residents of that Rock Creek subdivision," Materasso said.

As she was waiting in a line of cars to get home, Christine Wiedinmyer said the original tip was e-mailed by one of her neighbors, and she, too, saw the backpack on the sidewalk around 8:15 this morning as she was headed out. She said it didn't really strike her at first because there often are children's bikes or toys left about in the neighborhood.

Aldo Gurmendi was stopped, too, while trying to return home this afternoon with his family.

"I have three daughters, so I'm kind of freaking out," he said.

Norm Zrubeck, who lives in Spanish Hills off South Boulder Road, was turned away by police when he tried to drive into Rock Creek in Superior to watch the Broncos game with his son.

"They said, 'You can't go in the neighborhood because of an investigation,'" Zrubeck said.

Of the possibility that the search is connected to the missing Westminster girl, Zrubeck said, "I hope they catch whoever did it or it helps in her recovery."

Police, bloodhounds and volunteers have been working to find the girl, who disappeared after leaving her home in the 10700 block of Moore Street on Friday.

On Saturday, more than 800 volunteers searched through muddy fields in chilly temperatures as they examined every open space in the surrounding neighborhood.

Jessica's mother, a night shift worker, told police she last saw her walking toward school Friday morning. She reported the girl missing later in the afternoon when she woke to find a phone message saying Jessica hadn't arrived at Witt Elementary.

No evidence points to any family involvement, officials said. Jessica's father attended a child-custody hearing in a Missouri courtroom on Friday and police don't believe the custody issue is related to her disappearance.

To report a tip, call 303-658-4336 or email PDamberalert@cityofwestminster.us.

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